Rotary Eclub- Butterfly StoryBook Participant
Age: 10 years old
Cokes View Primary School
Savanna la Mar, Jamaica
HELPING POOR PEOPLE
McKay Townsend
Kimmy was seven years of age and loved school. His mother had taught him kindness, so he was always sharing with others. Some children were unkind to him, but he continued to be kind anyway.
One day while he was on his way from school, he saw a very ragged little boy: his shirt was torn and worn, his shorts were old and dirty, and his hair was untidy. He learnt from his friend that this was a poor family in the community. He felt sorry for the new boy, because he looked hungry. He wanted to help him.
Kimmy went home that evening and told his mother about what he saw. He said, “I want to help them.” His mother was busy, and Kimmy quickly shouted to her that he would bake some cookies and make some drinks for them. You see, Kimmy was really eager to do such a deed by making someone happy. He had learnt in class that week that when you do something good, you would be followed by good in return. Kimmy was not like the two boys down the road who would throw stones at this new boy only because he was poor.
That evening, his mother and he picked out some of the clothes that he had outgrown and stuffed them in a bag. He and his mother then hurried to the homes of persons in the community who they knew would have some food and other things to give. Many others were happy to support, and that evening they went home with two large bags of things for the poor boy and his mother. They also gathered more foodstuffs that they had in the cupboard, and Kimmy and his mom were on their way to the poor boy’s house.
When Kimmy and his mom reached a certain part of the community, they were not sure which of the shabby houses belonged to the boy, and no one seemed to know whom they were asking for. Luckily for them, as they were about to return home sadly, they heard someone shouting for Kimmy.
Kimmy looked around and saw the boy whose name he did not know. Kimmy bolted towards him and hugged him and asked his name. He told him his name was Eran. Kimmy told Eran that he and his mother had brought them some stuffs, but he wanted to see where he lived.
Eran was happy to take Kimmy and his mother to their shabby little one bedroom house way at the far bottom of the neighbours’ land. They had to walk through a damp narrow track. When they reached the house, Eran’s mother sat on the step wondering what was happening, and why these strangers were coming with Eran.
She stood up, wiping her hand on her dirty dress, which it seemed she had on forever. When they came near to her, Kimmy’s mother called a hello and she responded. As they came closer to her, Eran told her this was his new friend he was telling her about at school. He was the boy who was the first to ever hug him when others were hurting him. Eran’s mother felt relieved and must have realized that these were some good Samaritans coming to their rescue.
Kimmy’s mother rested her large bag of goodies in the hands of the mother while another was handed to Eran. They were eager to see what was in the bag and opened it right before them. The mother began eating some of the cookies while Eran chose to have some of the drinks. They were hungry.
Kimmy and his mother learnt from Eran’s mother that his father was killed on the farm he had been working for many years. They were very poor, and that was the reason Eran was not at school regularly and was teased whenever he showed up.
Eran’s mother further said the owner of the land they were living on was kind enough to let them have a space at the bottom of the land. They had been thrown off the place they had rented before his father had died.
When I looked at my mother’s face, she was so sad, and I could not believe when she said Eran could come over and stay with me so he could go to school. His mother she said could work for us in the house.
I felt very happy, as I moved over and hugged Eran, and my mother did the same to his mother. Eran’s mother was so happy that the next morning she was at our door ready to begin her new job. Mother was happy to have her, because since my father died from cancer, we were lonely though we had everything.
I slept soundly that night because I knew that I had done a good deed.